Android and iOS users will now be "helped" with "relevant" advertising.

There’s one part of Google Maps’ new look that Google forgot to tell us about: the ads. According to the company’s Adwords blog, the Android and iOS apps will shortly start showing “relevant” local ads on the screen when users interact with the app.

Google’s big redesign of Maps was one of the major announcements at Google I/O this past May, and it included the integration of Google Earth and the ability to view 3D tours of the interiors of famous landmarks. Another addition is a new interface allowing users to find things to do based on activity (dining, drinking, entertainment) that would show nearby appropriate venues on a map of the surrounding area.

Now, when users conduct Maps searches, Maps will be able to feature an ad for a relevant location along the bottom of the screen. The ad will appear within the app as if it’s a location the user has already selected from the map of available options, with a name, short description, and a travel time estimate appearing along the bottom of the screen. The ads will be identified by a tiny purple box off to the side in the listing that reads "Ad."

This will presumably operate in a manner similar to how Adwords works for regular Google searches. For instance, Dave and Buster’s could buy the space for all searches conducted for “bar” within a certain radius. How Google will determine relevance, or what limits it will place on the system, isn’t defined in the blog post.

Google did not provide a launch date for the ads on the consumer end, but it stated that the ad experience will be introduced today.

When I had my WP8 phone I loved the Nokia maps, best I have used anywhere. If they would bring that to Android I would use it over any other offering.I was never a fan of the Apple Maps on my iphone though, I ran into a lot of issues.

Google's really pushing my buttons. I understand they offer a lot of free services but I would KILL for them to release paid versions that weren't so intrusive. I'm a paying google apps subscriber so at least I dont have the email spam but even thats changing with that new inbox and it's "Promotions"

I've been actively looking for alternatives to Google services lately and have a pretty decent plan going forward on how to cut the cord. I'm actually surprised by how many people feel the same way I do now.

I've been actively looking for alternatives to Google services lately and have a pretty decent plan going forward on how to cut the cord. I'm actually surprised by how many people feel the same way I do now.

As someone trying to do the same, I would very much like to hear your findings!

+1, especially on a mobile app, where screen space is such a premium. I've been very happy with the Android experience for several years, but I really wish Google would offer paid apps for services people like, instead of just trying to figure out how to make money by not charging end users (which may lead them to kill off Google Voice, unless they can figure out how to insert ads into your phone calls!)

I've been actively looking for alternatives to Google services lately and have a pretty decent plan going forward on how to cut the cord. I'm actually surprised by how many people feel the same way I do now.

As someone trying to do the same, I would very much like to hear your findings!

DuckDuckGo - searchSkyDrive - Online docs and storageDropbox - Best syncing available but no doc editinghttp://www.openstreetmap.org/ - its a startCryptocat - chatting with my wife at work, Hangouts is nice but don't trust google anymore

I'm also a Mac user and have some flexibility with iCloud if I want it. I am also tossing around the idea of running my own ownCloud instance for cal/contact sync to my iPhone and dropping Skydrive and Dropbox for that.

The killer for me is mail. I love the gmail interface but with the new inbox design that's less so. I'm giving serious thought to just getting a static IP from centurylink and running my own home mail server (its low traffic anyway). I can keep my MacBook Air running next to me at work all day checking my email etc, no need for webmail there. Or if I want webmail I can use Roundcube, not as nice as gmail but does the job.

I have privacy concerns with all the NSA stuff going on but I'm not stupid, I know the NSA is several steps ahead of me so its unlikely I can get off their radar entirely but I'm still looking at options. My own mail server + GPGMail (mac opengpg software) I could solve the email problem. I know cryptocat had issues in the past but they appear fixed now. Using ownCloud over SSL would help too.

Mostly I just want my data back. Google is good about letting you retrieve your info from their services so I'm not concerned there. I just wish there was a good replacement for Google+ that actually made privacy/security a priority.

My biggest gripe with google however is with Eric Schmidt and the mindset of the higher ups. They really don't get it. They have lots of great ideas but never give any thought into how it will affect people. Take Google Glass for example. Great idea but will be rendered nearly useless as its banned everywhere you go for privacy reasons.

I understand Google needs to make money. I mean, they're not a charity after all. But I think it's time they find a way to do it besides plastering ads all over...well, everything. They're still beholden to their users and it seems they just keep finding ways to piss them off.

Maybe this is also the reason why Android phones keep getting bigger. Those bigger screens means more ad space for what seems to be Google's increasingly more important customer base - which seems to be everyone but the end user.

I knew it was coming. I'd like to be able to pay them to not see ads, except that advertising is Google's actual business and all this other stuff just supports it, so they'll never do anything to threaten it.

Eh, it's not as intrusive as I might have feared it would be; honestly most of the ads that Google serves are generally not very "in the way" so I can't generate any heartburn over this. If while I was getting routing guidance my phone suddenly started reading ads to me based on places I was passing or something like that then yeah, I would be irritated. This...not so much.

Well, it's a free app, so I can't blame them for trying to monetize it... Would like a paid, ad-free option though.

What really ticks me off is HOW GOOGLE WENT OUT OF THEIR WAY TO REMOVE FEATURES FROM MAPS in their last updates.

- No more offline maps unless you want to do the "OK maps" search trick, and then you don't have the control you used to have in selecting the area to store offline.- No labs features such as the distance calculator. Not an everyday-use feature, but I liked having it.

I could really get behind this feature if I could choose which type of ads I want to see. Gardening supplies based on my location - not so much.Highly rated restaurants in the area - definitely.

Dude, you keep forgetting that Goggle's not doing this for you, they're doing this to you. You're the product, not the consumer.

Common Apple, get your map app squared away!!

A) I didn't forget anything. I only said what it would take for me to like this.B) Apple Maps aren't very good, and only available on one platform. I would much rather see a good mapping app that works on all platforms.

Hmm, glad I downgraded, I guess. I had the new Maps for Android for a few hours before I discovered that the My Maps functionality was missing entirely. Compared to that, ads are not exactly a big deal. I downgraded immediately because I use My Maps all the time. Thank heaven for Androiddrawer.com, where they had older versions of the Google Maps app.

I could really get behind this feature if I could choose which type of ads I want to see. Gardening supplies based on my location - not so much.Highly rated restaurants in the area - definitely.

Dude, you keep forgetting that Goggle's not doing this for you, they're doing this to you. You're the product, not the consumer.

Common Apple, get your map app squared away!!

A) I didn't forget anything. I only said what it would take for me to like this.B) Apple Maps aren't very good, and only available on one platform. I would much rather see a good mapping app that works on all platforms.

Apple maps is excellent, for me at least.

From all that I have heard, the quality of Apple's street data is dependent on your location. For me, in the US, it is very good, and I like the app itself better than Google's map app.

Yes to hell with them for providing you the best internet mapping service for 8+ years free of charge.

I will (likely) never say screw you, Google. I like Google quite a bit, certainly more than many other prominent tech companies. However, they have not been providing many services "free of charge," for any length of time. Remember, when you don't pay $$ for something, it's very likely you are the product.

Having said that, I haven't updated Maps or most other Google apps in a few months, and don't plan on doing so any time soon (though circumstances always change). Also I have apks saved so that if I'm forced to upgrade (say, new phone), I can roll back to previous versions if I don't like the new ones. You'll be prying offline maps from my cold, dead fingers.

but I would KILL for them to release paid versions that weren't so intrusive.

Yes, it would, since people pay/businesses them to display targeted ads to users. What they would have to charge you (the collective you) to make up for what the business pay would be astronomical.

Somehow I doubt that Google would lose much ad revenue by charging a small fee to users who didn't want to see ads. It would help filter out those of us who are never going to click through on an ad (or otherwise avoid Google apps due to ads), which means more targeted advertising for those who are left. The best in highly targeted advertising is, after all, what Google is selling.

but I would KILL for them to release paid versions that weren't so intrusive.

Yes, it would, since people pay/businesses them to display targeted ads to users. What they would have to charge you (the collective you) to make up for what the business pay would be astronomical.

I think you have *no idea* about how little mobile ads cost. The average cost per 1,000 impressions for mobile ads is $0.75. I.e., if you see 1,000 ads, the person selling the ads makes 75 cents. The comparable number for desktop ads is $3.50.

For me to see 1,000 ads, I'd need to do a google map search 3 times a day, every day. And all of that activity nets Google 75 cents per year. And even if we assume that map ads are worth as much as desktop ads, that puts Google's revenue at $3.50/year. For, I assume, a pretty heavy map user.

So if Google charged $1/month for GMaps Premium (or whatever), they would be making significantly more from each premium user than they would from a random person using maps on their phone.

Google may have non-monetary reasons for not wanting to offer a premium service - most notably, they may not want people to equate the absence of ads with "premium service." Or they may just want people to get used to seeing ads everywhere. But it's not like they couldn't make more money on a per user basis by charging people who want to opt out of ads.

I would love to be able to buy an annual membership, say for $20, that just removes all the ads from Google. No "sponsored search results." No ads in GMail. Just a 100%, ad-free everything-that-Google-does.

Yes to hell with them for providing you the best internet mapping service for 8+ years free of charge.

I will (likely) never say screw you, Google. I like Google quite a bit, certainly more than many other prominent tech companies. However, they have not been providing many services "free of charge," for any length of time. Remember, when you don't pay $$ for something, it's very likely you are the product.

I am so sick of everyone harping on this every time there is a post about Google. OF COURSE Google is trying to monetize their services, using YOU. They are a commercial enterprise and they are in it to make money. However, that does not change the fact that they are providing these services to you without charging a fee, and instead depending upon these other means of monetization to make up the difference. This is as opposed to say, cable companies, for example, who both charge you to provide all the services (and make it a point to nickle and dime you wherever possible) in addition to selling copious amounts of advertising, selling your data to anyone willing to give them money (i.e. their "partners"), and doing anything else they can think of to squeeze an extra penny from you.

Google is up front about it. They are an advertising company, and their goal is to provide compelling services that they can then use to grab your eyeballs and earholes. This includes search, mail, maps, etc. The fact that someone has the gall to complain about this fact clearly doesn't understand the concept that things cost money, even on the internet.

Well, it's a free app, so I can't blame them for trying to monetize it... Would like a paid, ad-free option though.

What really ticks me off is HOW GOOGLE WENT OUT OF THEIR WAY TO REMOVE FEATURES FROM MAPS in their last updates.

- No more offline maps unless you want to do the "OK maps" search trick, and then you don't have the control you used to have in selecting the area to store offline.- No labs features such as the distance calculator. Not an everyday-use feature, but I liked having it.

The biggest gripe folks had w/ Apple's Maps on iOS 6 were the navigation / turn by turn feature. Something that 1 - I don't care about and 2 - people have to be dumb if they are that naive about getting from Point A to Point B.

This now gives me another reason to NOT use Google Maps on my iPhone. And I can live w/o the turn by turn features as I am capable of using my brain and getting around without a computer telling me how.

I've been actively looking for alternatives to Google services lately and have a pretty decent plan going forward on how to cut the cord. I'm actually surprised by how many people feel the same way I do now.

As someone trying to do the same, I would very much like to hear your findings!

I have also been thinking about leaving Google's orbit lately. My plan is to do it one service at a time. Find an alternative to one of the many Google services I use, try it out for some time, and if it suits me, stick with it and repeat for the next Google service.

I started with Google Search. I have replaced it by DuckDuckGo.com, and so far I have to say that as far as my searching needs go, I am satisfied. I do not think I will go back to Google for online search.

My next target is Gmail. I have been seriously thinking about a paid service. Email is a central service, and I am willing to pay. It is kind of a big leap to start paying for something that we can find for free so easily, but I think it is worth making the leap and just don't look back. I understand that free services need to be supported somehow and ads are necessary, but quite honestly, my balls are already full of so much trying to make me spend money when all I want is to read my mail or to check a map.

If somebody knows about an email service that guarantees that my mail will be stored in their servers encrypted with a key that only I know and never leaves my computer, please let me know. Note that I'm not talking about sending or receiving encrypted emails (I can already do that with gnupg). I'm talking about the system encrypting the unencrypted mail I receive so that it is stored securely in their servers, in a way that not even the company can decrypt. I suppose that would require some kind of plugin for the web browser in case of webmail, and a plugin for the mail client in case of imap. I am willing to pay.

Well, it's a free app, so I can't blame them for trying to monetize it... Would like a paid, ad-free option though.

What really ticks me off is HOW GOOGLE WENT OUT OF THEIR WAY TO REMOVE FEATURES FROM MAPS in their last updates.

- No more offline maps unless you want to do the "OK maps" search trick, and then you don't have the control you used to have in selecting the area to store offline.- No labs features such as the distance calculator. Not an everyday-use feature, but I liked having it.

Settings->Apps->Maps->Uninstall Updates

Would that leave me with Maps 1.0 or whatever version came with my ROM? Because in that case I'd rather grab the APK from one of the many repositories for the version just before the update that took away these features.

Yes to hell with them for providing you the best internet mapping service for 8+ years free of charge.

You know what they say... "First one's free, kid."

You address this in a later post, but obviously Google doesn't do anything out of the goodness of it's heart. It's a business, pure and simple. If they're giving something away for "free" it's because there's a reason for it - getting a foothold in the industry, building a user base, quashing competition, etc. The reason that Maps is (one of) the best map services out there is BECAUSE they've given it away for free for years. It certainly wasn't the best early on, but the more people used Maps, the more Google was able to refine their data.

Obviously, they think they've got enough data and enough of a lead on their competition that they now feel they can monetize it without driving people away. Personally, I think it works better than iMaps, but I'll start spreading my love around a bit more to Nokia and Apple just so their data can get better as well.

Yes to hell with them for providing you the best internet mapping service for 8+ years free of charge.

You know what they say... "First one's free, kid."

You address this in a later post, but obviously Google doesn't do anything out of the goodness of it's heart. It's a business, pure and simple. If they're giving something away for "free" it's because there's a reason for it - getting a foothold in the industry, building a user base, quashing competition, etc. The reason that Maps is (one of) the best map services out there is BECAUSE they've given it away for free for years. It certainly wasn't the best early on, but the more people used Maps, the more Google was able to refine their data.

It was the best early on, as I recall. They put AJAX applications on the map, to use a pun. Before that every map application on the internet was painful to use as you click an arrow and then wait some indeterminable time for the whole page to reload.